Blackpool
by HungerWho37
Summary: "I see that wedding band on your finger but I don't care. And I know, deep down, you don't either. Because true love is never easy, but it must be fought for. Because once you find it, it will never be replaced. There are eight billion people in this world and you are the one that I want. The truth is, I never believed in love. That is, until I met you."
1. Viva Las Vegas

**A/N: So, a good friend of mine-some of you might know her as Cupcakesprinkles14-let me re-write one of her ideas. She may have mentioned before that her story 'Torn Between' was based off a t.v series called 'Blackpool' but the idea eventually escaped her and she started making it her own.**

**Well, she has given me permission to write it again but this time with the Blackpool flair from beginning to end. It may seem the same at the start but you'll definitely start to notice the differences soon, trust me. Cupcake will be giving me a hand when it comes to anything smutty anyway because I find that area alien and difficult to write.**

**This is my first Peetato fic so please be kind when reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games and Blackpool belongs to the BBC. The idea of re-writing Blackpool into a Peetato fic belongs to Cupcakesprinkles14.**

**Blackpool**

The flash of the camera was blinding, the fake smile he had plastered on his face feeling like it was engraved there. Peeta blinked to get the black spots out of his vision and shook his head to clear it. No matter how many times you have your photo put in the newspaper, you will never get used to the bright flare the flash creates. Everytime, you will think you're surely about to go blind.

Katniss smiled, hers more genuine, and gestured for the cameras to follow her inside. Peeta was considering hanging back but the idea was soon diminished when she hooked her arm through his and walked with him. Katniss animately explained all her plans to the reporters, gesturing around the casino with great enthusiasum and cracking jokes at just the right times. How she could have such great people skills baffled Peeta but then again, she had been doing this for a while now.

The casino filled fast. It's shocking how quickly people will drift somewhere if there's a chance that money will be involved. The room was soon filled with the joyous whoops of those who won a couple of quid and the exasperated sighs of those who didn't but are still sticking their hands into their pockets for another try because this time they're "bound to get lucky."

There was the occasional flash of a camera, the people grinning on the other end not caring about how blinding the flash was. As Peeta watched the attention seeking girls pose for their pictures, he began to wonder if maybe he was the only one who had a problem with those reporter cameras. But, come on, would it kill them to turn the flash off?

Katniss appeared in front of him, snapping her fingers in front of his eyes. He stepped back, blinking out of his trance, and fixed her with a confused expression. "Are you even listening to me?" she asked.

"Sorry, what?" Peeta asked back, blinking out of his trance.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I was saying that Jennifer has a date," she explained.

"A date? Since when?" Peeta hadn't realized that he sounded surprised until Katniss quirked a curious eyebrow. Not that it was surprising to discover that his daughter had a date it was just very sudden, since it only felt like yesterday that Jennifer was claiming all the boys in her year were diseased and ignorant. Wait, that _was_ yesterday.

"Since she told me five minutes ago," Katniss replied. She looked stunning in the strapless red dress that had been sitting at the back of their wardrobe for weeks, just waiting for this exact ocassion. She glanced at Josh, who was playing on a machine a couple of yards away from them. "When are you going to start dating?" she asked.

"Sorry, what was that mum?" Josh asked sarcastically, pretending he hadn't heard. Katniss narrowed her eyes but thankfully didn't push the point, as she might have at a different time.

"Here's the keys," she said, shoving the keys to the casino into Josh's pocket. "I'm leaving soon and I need you to lock up when you're everyone's gone."

"Where are you going?" Peeta asked. What could be more important than the opening of her first casino?

Katniss shrugged. "Just to Madge's house," she said.

"Why didn't you just invite them?"

Katniss bite her lip, thinking the answer over in her head. Peeta waited, hoping to god that the answer wasn't going to be as bad as it felt like it was going to be. "She's sick right now. Madge is. And you know the way you can't invite one without the other," she finally answered. "So I told them we'd go to her house and I'd tell her all about it."

Thank God. Katniss noticed his relieved expression and grinned. "What, were you worried?" she teased.

"Me? Worried? Nah," Peeta replied. Katniss laughed and kissed his cheek before disappearing into the crowd to mingle. Well, at least he could slip out without her noticing now. He patted Josh's shoulder as he passed him and discreetly slipped out.

The night air was cool and fresh. Peeta took a deep breath and exhaled, secretly glad to be out of the stuffy Casino. Of course he was happy for Katniss. This had been her dream for years now and it still seemed kind of surreal that it was actually happening. But Peeta hadn't known that he was supposed to make public appearances with his wife at the openings. "To make the family unit seem strong," she had said. Peeta had noted how she had said 'seem' instead of saying 'to show how strong the family unit _is_'.

Peeta changed out his suit in a takeaway bathroom and, after buying a bottle of coke because he felt guilty using the facility without buying something, walked to Smartians. He knew he was already a couple of minutes late and even though he knew Delly would understand, he hated being so late.

He worked at Smartians because he felt like if he could make a difference to even one person's life, it would give his own life more purpose. Compared to Katniss' success, it seemed very small, but, to him, he felt like he was doing the best thing he could. Helping others had always seemed a lot more interesting than helping Katniss run the casino anyway.

When he arrived, Delly wasn't there. A sticky note was stuck to her computer.

_Had to dash! Meeting my sister's fiance! Hope you had fun at the opening, can't wait to read about it in the papers! ;)_

_~Del_

Damn, he hoped no one had called in the small gap where no one was manning the phones. Sometimes the people's problems could range from exam pressure to thoughts of suicide. Peeta didn't know if he could live with the knowledge that someone had killed themselves when he could have answered the phone and somehow talked them out of it.

He sat down at his desk and pulled his book out of the bag holding his suit. Before he immersed himself in the intriguing plot of _Great Expectations_ a small part of him wondered what Katniss was doing right now. He hoped Madge was okay. He decided to pop into the shops tomorrow and get her a get better card. Katniss would probably want to sign her name onto it too, since Madge was her friend after all.

Whatever they were doing right now, Peeta hoped they were having a good time. Katniss had earned it, after all, after all the work she had put into building up her empire.

~xXx~

"Well you look like shit."

Madge humped. A beer was cradled between her knees and she sat in the bath of what seemed to be a newly renevated bathroom. Katniss turned her nose up at the new interior. Ick, what a waste of money. Johanna ploughed past her and took up residence on the toilet seat.

"Pass us a beer," she said.

Katniss rolled her eyes and pulled a beer out of the six pack that lay on the floor, taking one of her own as she passed the other to Johanna. "So, what's with the new look?" she asked, peering past the frosted screen door and into what looked like a closet.

"Thought the place could use a make-over," Madge replied.

"What a waste," Katniss sighed. She leaned against the wall and took a swig. The bitter taste tickled her tongue, the chemicals going straight to her head and making it feel light. "You could have invested the money that went into this."

"Not all of us are super-scrimpers like you Everdeen," Johanna scoffed. Her eyes drifted lazily around the room. "I still don't like it though."

Madge shook her head. "Good thing you don't have to see it every day, right?" she replied. "I like it." She slowly slid into the bath and drew her knees up to her chest with a sigh.

"Katniss, did you make the order?" Johanna asked, closing an eye and peering into her bottle.

"Yeah, I did," Katniss replied. "It should be arriving soon."

"Did we really have to do this at my house?" Madge inquired. She blew a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. "I mean, I'm the only one here who's involved with the law and if we get caught because of this-"

"We won't," Johnna said. "When have we before?"

Madge chewed on the inside of her cheek worriedly. She was always such a worry wally. Katniss guessed it was because she was so high up in the police force and dreaded the idea of them getting caught because she'd lost her job. It was kind of hypocritial, since the whole reason Madge decided to be a police officer was so that she'd stop taking part in illegal activities with Katniss and Johanna. But, of course, she couldn't stay away.

The doorbell went and Johanna lurched forward, bumping into Katniss on the way out. Katniss and Madge exchanged an amused look before following her down the stairs. "My house, I get to answer the door!" Madge declared. Johanna reluctantly stepped away from the front door and folded her arms begrudingly.

Madge opened the door, Katniss and Johanna right behind her. On the doorstep was the three hookers Katniss had requested earlier. It was nice that the system was so neat now-a-days. That she didn't have to sneak out at night while Peeta was sleeping to get her fill.

Don't get her wrong, she loved Peeta with all of her heart but sometimes she had to get away. She respected her husband too much to do the stuff to him that she did to the hookers. He was too gentle a soul to do that to. And, well, sometimes you need change in your life to keep things interesting.

"So fellas," Katniss said, pushing her way through out onto Madge's doorstep, "Who's going to get lucky tonight?"

~xXx~

"Keys Josh, hurry," Katniss said as they quickly walked down the street to the casino. Josh fumbled for the keys in his pockets, finally slapping them into her hand. Johanna and Madge had fallen behind, both of them nursing severe hangovers. "When did you even close up?"

"2:00am. That's when everyone cleared off anyway," Josh muttered.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "And when did you get home?"

"Uh . . . five?"

"Idiot!" Katniss exclaimed, hitting him upside the head. "You know how your father worries! Now he's going to be on _my_ ass about why I didn't make sure you got home!"

"Have you even went home?" Josh fired back. "Dad is more likely going to be on your ass about yourself more than me!"

"Don't talk to me like that," Katniss snapped. Now that Josh had brought it up, she knew he was probably right. Peeta was going ot be freaking out about where she'd been all night when they get back. Still, that was for later, not for now. She adjusted her sunglasses and sighed, hoping that the mess in the casino wasn't as bad as she knew it was going to be.

Katniss jabbed the key into the lock and twisted it open. Thankfully, the litter wasn't too bad and she knew she could get Johanna to work right away picking up the rubbish. It was going to be weird having one of her friends as the janitor but Johanna _had_ said she needed the money so . . .

They all stopped.

"Whoa," Johanna breathed.

"Oh my god," Madge murmured, covering her mouth with her hands in horror.

Josh was silent.

Katniss' eyes widened. It was an almost surreal experience, she couldn't believe what she was seeing and, for some reason, she was filled with anger. "Okay," she said, "who dumped the body in _my_ casino?"

~xXx~

_**Half an Hour Later:**_

"Do you recognize the body?" Cato asked.

The Everdeen woman looked at him as if he had asked her if she was willing to strip naked and run up the streets screaming like a banshee. "No," she spat. "Of course I don't recognize it!"

Cato raised his eyebrows. He had been forced out of bed on his day off to come in and investiage the dumping of a body in the recently opened Everdeen casino. Of course, being the idiot that he was, he decided to go to the bitchy owner to interview while Clove had been smart enough to go to the vulnerable son.

He already knew the identity of the body. Clove recognized him as Marvel Winters, a boy she had met while doing a talk about drugs in a high school a couple of months ago. At least that was one less John Doe for the morgue to deal with. By the looks of the body, Marvel had been strangled, but he also had a cut on his temple which could suggest that he had been hit with a blunt object. Either could be the reason for his death.

"It's just a routine question, Miss Everdeen," he sighed tiredly. God, he hated having to be nice to the irrtiable citizens. Why couldn't they see that he was just doing his job? Okay, so witnessing something this horrible can result in some level of vulnerability but it shouldn't give anyone license to be an asshole. Then again, judging by the pretentious look on Miss Everdeen's face, this seemed to be her attitude twenty four seven.

"But what are you suggesting?" Miss Everdeen demanded. "That just because I own this place that I automatically killed the guy?"

"Not suggesting that at all," Cato replied, jotting down some notes into his little black pad. Miss Everdeen scowled and tried to see what he was writing but he managed to hold it away from.

Annoyed, she stood back. "And it's _Mrs_ to you," she said acidly. "Or even just Katniss. Mrs makes me sound old."

Cato felt sorry for the poor sod married to such an irritable bitch.

"Okay then_ Katniss_, over the next couple of days Clove and I will be interviewing members of your family-"

"Leave my family out of this," Katniss interuppted firecely. "It has nothing to do with them and you don't need to involve them in anything to do with this."

Cato quirked an interested eyebrow. "Again, it's routine," he said slowly. "Which also says that you'll have to keep the casino closed for a while-"

"I'm not closing the casino," Katniss said stubbornly.

"Will you _stop_ interuppting, please," Cato replied. God, trying to have a conversation with this woman was trying to get blood from a stone.

"I'm not closing the casino," pressed Katniss. "The place is only just opened!"

Clove was standing at the entrance to the casino, waving for him to follow her out into the streets. "Well, you're going to have to, Katniss," Cato replied, tapping her forehead with his pencil. "Because it's my orders. Good day." He quickly walked around her and left with Clove before Katniss could open her mouth and start yapping again.

He could already tell that this case was going to be a difficult one.

Cato and Clove crossed the road to an ice-cream truck, where they both got a 99 each. He hadn't realized that giving up smoking was going to give him such a severe craving for sugar. Clove constantly said that it was better than putting the crap that's in a cigarette into his body but somehow getting fat didn't seem as appealing as sucking in the sweet nector of a good cig. But still, he had to persevere.

"So how do you think we're going to go about solving this case?" Clove asked as they walked along the pier.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Cato replied. "But I don't know, there's something about that Everdeen woman's attitude that rubs me the wrong way. I think she's trying to hide something."

"Officer Undersee says that she's just a generally snippy person," Clove pointed out, licking the melted ice-cream that had dripped onto her hand.

"I thought Officer Undersee was good friends with Katniss?" asked Cato. "And that's why she wasn't allowed to be on the case, because it was too close to home?"

Clove shrugged. "I suppose she could be trying to defend her friend," she said. "But I don't see why she would, since it would be putting her job at risk to lie to an investigator about vital evidence for a case. Especially a murder one at that."

They were passing a newspaper stand when the sight of Katniss on the front made Cato stop. Clove didn't realize he had stopped until she was near the end of the road and turned around in alarm. Cato would probably have laughed at how oblvious she had been if he hadn't been so preoccupied.

_**New Casino Opened In Panem Pier!**_

Katniss was on the front cover with what Cato presumed was her family. The Everdeen woman was fierce looking, her eyes outlined with thick black eyeliner and her lips a deep red. The young girl standing to her right looked the spitting image of her, only younger and much more . . . approachable looking. Cato recognized her son, Josh, from multiple arrests in the past concerning his involvement in certain gangs and drug dealer groups. He didn't really look like either of his parents but that said nothing. Maybe he resembled a grandparent or something.

But weirdly enough, none of this people were what made him stop.

It was the picture of Katniss' husband, Peeta. The poor sod married to the irritable bitch.

Cato didn't know what it was but there was something different about the man. He didn't look like the sort of person Katniss would be married too. He seemed . . . softer . . . nothing like his wife. In fact, he didn't seem to fit in with his family unit at all. Cato would have liked to say that these where the reasons that made him stop in the streets, that it was nothing but the cogs in his P. I mind turning, trying to find more evidence, but it wasn't.

It was because Katniss' husband was hot.

"Why are you staring at Mrs Everdeen's husband?" Clove asked, suddenly by his side again.

Cato blinked, surprised. "I'm not," he lied. "I'm thinking."

"About . . . ?"

"Do you think he'd know something? The husband, I mean?" Cato asked.

Clove pursed her lips, thinking about it. "Could do," she answered. "I wouldn't put it past him. Why? Do you think we should talk to him?"

"Not we, just me I think," Cato said. "Don't want to overwhelm him, you know? I mean, a body has been found in his wife's business. I doubt it's the best thing to find out on a Sunday morning."

"Are you going to do it now?" asked Clove.

"Nah, I'll give them a day or two to catch up," Cato replied. "Do it later in the week when it's sort of settled a little."

Clove nodded, picking the flake out of her ice cream. "If you're searching for him in the phone book, it's Mellark, not Everdeen. Katniss didn't take his second name when they got married."

Yeah, she wouldn't, would she? Typical.

Peeta Mellark sounded much better anyway.

~xXx~

"I think that P. I is out to get me!" Katniss declared, moving around the room like a tornado of rage. "He was asking all these questions and looking at me as if to say, 'I know you did it bitch so own up'! He called it routine, I mean, what the hell is that?!"

Peeta watched Katniss as she continued to rant, shoving her clothes in her chest of drawers angrily and stomping around the room like child trying to squash ants under their shoes. In his opinion, she was over-reacting, but if he said that out loud she'd very likely have him shot on the spot for it. The police did have routines they had to follow while investigating a case, like rules that have to be enforced so it can be solved correctly, right?

"They won't even let Madge be on the case because she's apparently too close to me or whatever!" Katniss yelled. "It's not like she's going to fucking go and lie to them about me! Not that I'd have to anyway because I have a motive, I was with her and Johanna the entire night!"

"Which you forgot to tell me that you were staying out all night for," Peeta pointed out.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Katniss muttered, climbing into bed. "Madge was sicker than we thought."

"Well then she wouldn't be able to work on the case anyway," Peeta said, getting in beside her. "Because she's so ill, so there's nothing to worry about."

"There's plenty to worry about, trust me," Katniss replied. "That P. I thinks I murdered the guy! What would I get from murdering someone and dumping them in my _own_ casino?!" She twisted around and tapped her lamp to dim the light down.

"Just relax," Peeta told her, trying to be as comforting as possible. "Your alibi checks out, you don't have anything to stress over. If that P. I does think you did it then he doesn't have much proof, does he? You have two witnesses who can vouch for you."

Katniss closed her eyes and took a deep breath, something she always did when she was trying to calm herself down. She slid down to lie on her back on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if examining the paintjob. "I suppose," she finally concluded.

Peeta smiled and kissed her forehead, during away from her and lying on his side. He hated seeing her so stressed out, especially after already having been pressured because of the casino opening and all the publicity for that. Now there was this, the whole place having to be shut down until further notice. It was like Lady Luck had decided they needed taken down a peg.

"You wouldn't be horny by any change, would you?" Katniss randomly asked.

Peeta rolled his eyes. "I love it when you whisper sweet nothings to me," he said sarcastically.

Katniss snorted. "Seriously though, are you?" she asked.

"Not really, since we've been talking about dead bodies ever since we got in," Peeta answered. There was a long pause and he could practically hear Katniss thinking it over in her mind.

"I'd still be up for it," she said.

Peeta laughed. "Yeah, well, I know you would," he said. "Not all of us have your stamina." The world could be ending and Katniss would still be up for it. It was like she had this never ending stamina or a button that she hid under her braid that kept her energetic and up for anything no mater what has happened or what time of the day it is.

"It's a gift," Katniss said, almost humbly.

"Well I, on the other hand, am not gifted so I'm going to go ahead and go to sleep," Peeta replied. He closed his eyes and grinned when Katniss groaned.

That night he dreamed of death. And nothing else.

**A/N: Review with your thoughts? I'd really like to hear what you think! :)**


	2. These Boots Are Made For Walking

**A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful reviews guys! Here's chapter two!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or Blackpool.**

**Chapter Two**

"I heard about what happened in your casino."

Katniss laughed, the sound hollow, and ran her finger down the glass of the window. A layer of dust came off onto her skin and she cringed. Gale watched her carefully, his eyes still dilated from a drug he was probably coming down from from earlier.

"Yeah, it's so horrible. It's like the world decided that I was being too successful or something and thought, 'Okay, well, I'm going to kick her up the ass'," Katniss muttered. She turned around and kicked a shirt that was lying on the floor. Urgh, she could practically feel the fleas preparing to cultivate on her hair and clothes. "I need to sort this place out."

"Well, yeah," Gale said, running a jittery hand through his dark greasy hair. "You keep telling us that you're going to sort it out but you don't bother. You _never_ bother."

Katniss fixed him with a pointed look. "Shimmer down, I'll get it done. I've had a lot of stuff on my plate recently."

"Someone is going get killed here someday," Gale muttered. "Can't you at least do something to lessen the domestic disturbances? I'd like at least one decent night sleep for once."

"Maybe you could, if you stopped sniffing glue or whatever the hell it is that you take at night," Katniss fired back. Gale narrowed his eyes at her skeptically. Katniss folded her arms and rolled her eyes irritably. "I'll get it done, I swear."

Gale didn't look even the tiniest bit convinced but chose not to push the matter. "How's the family?" he asked.

Katniss shrugged non-commitedly. "I suppose they're alright," she said. "A bit shaken, just like the rest of us. I promised Peeta I'd stay in the night and talk to Jennifer about how there's nothing to worry about because apparently she won't listen to me."

"What about Josh, I thought he found the body with you?"

"He's not worried. He's still going out with his friends," Katniss answered. It was true, Josh didn't seem the least bit bothered about the fact that someone had dumped a dead body in his mother's casino. It took a lot to sway that kid, it really did.

When Katniss moved away from the window, Gale automatically took her place, peering out nervously as if expecting the cops to arrive any minute. Katniss sighed and threw herself onto the rickedity bed, unsettling dust from the covers. Gale glanced at her curiously, his eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Might as well get my money's worth, while I'm here," answered Katniss. She shut her eyes and waited, a sly grin growing on her face when she heard Gale move away from the window and sink to his knees in front of her.

Whores were so easy to control.

~xXx~

At the exact same time, Cato sat outside the casino in one red and white striped deck chairs that were set up outside the ice-cream van. Clove was a couple of metres away, getting them more ice-cream for the stake out. So far nothing interesting had happened. Johanna Mason-Katniss' janitor-had gone in to clean, shortly followed by Josh Everdeen. Neither had came out since. Standing outside was a woman who rocked a baby in a stroller. Her hair was greasy and she was smoking a fag. A gamler? Waiting for the casino to open up again?

"What sort of gambler would bring her baby with her to a casino?" Clove asked as she sat down beside Cato on a similar chair. She handed him one of the ice-creams and immediately started licking her.

"A single mother, maybe?" Cato guessed. From the looks of the woman, she seemed to know that the place was temporarily closed, but was eagerly waiting anyway on the off-chance that maybe Katniss broke the law and opened it anyway.

"A very dedicated single mother," said Clove.

"Maybe she read the article on the 'magnificent leap forward for gamblers in Blackpool' in the papers the other day and couldn't help herself," Cato said, quoting the reporter who wrote the article on the casino opening.

Clove hummed in agreement, already half way through her ice-cream. Cato couldn't help watching the smoke coming from the woman across the road's mouth and hand to break a large piece of chocolate off the flake in his ice-cream and shove it in his mouth to distract himself.

"I got more information on Katniss, by the way," Clove mentioned.

"Oh mm-hmm?" Cato replied, unable to speak properly because he bit off more than he could chew.

"Apparently she owns those flats behind the casino there." Clove pointed at the medium-ish complex that was only a little bit bigger than the casino itself so it towered over it slightly. Cato knew the place well.

"Isn't that the 12 apartments?" he asked once he could speak again. The 12 apartments was constantly on the police force's radar, being home to drug dealers, hookers, prostitutes and gang members. The place wasn't in very good shape, it was pratically falling apart at the seams.

Clove nodded. "Yup," she said. "I think she accidentally bought the grounds when she was buying the land for the casino to be built, so the flats are hers now."

"How long ago did she buy the grounds?" asked Cato.

"A few years, maybe?" Clove said, unsure. "It was certainly a while ago. It's taken her a long time to get the casino up and running. Apparently she spends a lot of her time over there. No-one really knows why. Most think she's trying to fix the place up. I thought if that was the case then wouldn't the place have been already fixed up by now?"

"I'd have thought so," Cato replied.

Clove sighed and took a thoughtful bite out of her cone. Some of her hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat, the day having been a lot more warm than expected. Cato hadn't realized that when he was promoted and told to move down here from Scotland that the weather would be so sweltering. To make matters worse, there were clouds covering the sky, how did that even work? It didn't make any sense.

"She's also a cheat," Clove randomly said.

Cato raised his eyebrows. "She's a what?"

"A cheat. She cheats on her husband, apparently," Clove explained. "Her and her friends pay prostitutes. I wouldn't be too shocked if it turned out that she had been doing it even before she got married."

Cato thought back to the picture of the Everdeen family that was on the front of the newspaper. He thought of Katniss' husband, Peeta, and their children. Urgh, some people don't know what they have. Some people just have to ask for more, don't they?

"Sadly we can't do anything about that," Clove sighed. "It's not our place to weedle our way in where we have no business being."

"Sometimes I wish we could arrest people for adultery. The world would be a better place without those greedy saddos on it," Cato said.

"It's for the family to sort out," concluded Clove. "Or not. Something tells me that Katniss will be keeping this under her hat for the rest of her life. I suppose ignorance is bliss, especially in Mr Mellark's case."

Ignorance is bliss. Cato hated that expression.

They sat outside the casino for a futher half an hour, when Katniss suddenly appeared, coming out the road that lead to the 12 apartments and going into her casino. Clove leaned forward in her seats, bracing her elbows on her knees. "I wonder what she was doing there," she said, almost to herself.

"Gathering a survey from the residents over who was unhappy with their current living conditions?" Cato joked.

Clove snickered. "Oh yeah, sure," she replied, "how did I not think of that?"

"Do you think we should go and talk to her?" asked Cato.

"I don't know, might seem a bit forward," said Clove. She glanced at Cato. "Have you spoken to the husband yet?"

"No, not yet." _Trust me, though, I will soon._ Cato came to a decision and stood up. "I think being forward is the only method that's going to work with Katniss."

Clove quirked an eyebrow. "First name basis," she teased, "Should I be concerned?"

"Trust me, you shouldn't," Cato answered. Clove laughed. "Stay here, I'll go and talk to her." Clove saluted and waved as he crossed the road and went into the casino. Why did they leave the doors open? To keep the place aired out?

Katniss was standing by a nearby machine, showing Josh how to work it. Johanna was at the top of the stairs, idly sliding a duster across the banister while texting someone on her phone. Katniss noticed him enter almost immediately, her head snapping up like a sniffer dog catching a scent. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Coming to tell me I can open my casino, Detective?" she asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Please, call me Cato," he replied. "Just checking out the crime scene. If this even was the crime scene."

"I'm sure it wasn't," Katniss said, "this is just the dumping scene."

Cato quirked an eyebrow. "You sound very sure about that," he said.

"I am." Katniss held his gaze, unwavering, a sign that she's either hiding something or truly is positive about what she was telling him. Cato wasn't sure which it was. Maybe a little bit of both? A sure statment just tinged with the tiniest bit of doubt?

His eyes fell on the large, in-your-face diamond necklace currently clipped around Katniss' neck. Now that he thought about it, she seemed to be very keen to flaunt her expenses through her attire. Maybe it was to intimidate people . . . or make them jealous. "Aren't you afraid that someone might try to mug you, walking around dripping in jewellery like that?" he asked.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I think you'll find, I can look after myself. But thank you for the concern, _Cato_," she said pointedly.

_Fine, let yourself get mugged._ "My partner Clove tells me that you own the 12 apartments, is that correct?"

"Yes," Katniss said slowly. "I own them. Why?"

"Are you aware of the illegal activites that occur there almost every night?" Cato asked.

"Is this relevant? You're supposed to be investigating a murder case so I can open my casino again!" Katniss exclaimed. "I thought you'd have the sense to realize by now that I had nothing to do with it!"

"The body was found two days ago, Katniss. Cases don't just get solved in two days." Cato was actually enjoying winding Katniss up, even if it was unprofessional. She was like a volcano. You don't know what was going to make her erupt. "And the 12 apartments _could_ be relevant. It's the closest building to the Casino so the murder could have taken place there and then the body could have been dumped here."

Katniss looked incredulous. "What do you mean closest building? There's two shops flanking this place!" she exclaimed.

"Both of which were closed and bolted up. We checked the security systems. No one could have got in there, let alone try to commit a murder there," Cato answered.

"What about CCTV?" demanded Katniss.

"The cameras were down," Cato said. It was kind of ironic that the first murder to occur in months happens the night there's a technical fault with the cameras.

"Well, that's just _perfect_ isn't it?" Katniss said sarcastically. She planted her hands on her hips and scowled. "Shouldn't you be out following leads then instead of bothering me again?"

Cato smirked. "I am following a lead."

Katniss' face instantly fell. "What?"

"I'll see you around Mrs Everdeen." Cato tried not to laugh as he turned around and left, only beginning to be able to imagine the look on Katniss' face. So he was unprofessional, who really cares? It wasn't like he was going to lose his job for it.

Outside, Clove was gone. She wasn't across the road sitting in her deck chair anymore. Cato frowned in confusion and fished out his phone, sighing irritably when he realized his ass must have switched it off when he sat down in the deck chair earlier. When it was switched on again, there was one message. Thankfully, from Clove.

_'Got called down to the station. Hope everything goes okay with Cruella Deville ;)'_

Well that was just great, he was working on his own now. What could they possibly have needed Clove for anyway? They have plenty of officers down at that station. The justice system never failed to baffle Cato. He crossed the road, trying to get a better signal to ring her and find out how long she'd be. He was literally just across when he stepped in gum. Such a large piece of gum that it practically glued his shoe to the ground.

_Wonderful(!)_

He dropped his phone back into his coat pocket and pulled out a tissue, unsticking his foot from the pier and detatching the large glob from his sole. Just as he was doing this, something caught his eye.

Peeta Mellark had just came out of the newsagents.

To be sure, Cato pulled the folded up newspaper from the other day out of his pocket and examined the photo on the front. Yes, that was definitely Peeta Mellark.

Curious to where he was going, Cato followed Katniss' husband on the other side of the street. As a detective, he was able to notice things very quickly. Able to decipher a person's identity just by the way they dressed or carried themselves. Like how Katniss always stood up straight, her eyes narrowed in a demeaning fashion, and she always had an arrogant air in the way she spoke to people. So Cato automatically starting noticing things about her husband, Peeta.

He didn't walk with a purpose. He didn't stride confidently like his wife. In fact, he seemed more keen to blend in with everyone else than stand out. He didn't flaunt his expenses or the money that Katniss obviously had through the clothes that he wore or the things that he had. Somehow, Cato was glad by this. Those faded, scruffy jeans he was wearing suited him way better than any designer brand would. And finally . . .

He was even cuter in person.

What? Cato was a detective, not _dead_! Just because he was working a case concerning Peeta's wife didn't mean that he couldn't admire his beauty from afar. And maybe a little closer, since he had to interview him about the murder anyway.

Peeta eventually went into a small building that was wedged between the nick nack store _Trinket's Trinkets _and the Abernathy Bar. Cato quickly took out his phone and rang Clove.

_"Make it quick Cato, I'm busy,"_ Clove hissed when she answered.

"Hello to you too Clove," Cato replied sarcastically. "Look, what's the building between _Trinket's Trinkets_ and the Abernathy Bar?"

_"The little one?"_ asked Clove.

"Yeah, the little one."

_"That's Smartians. It's kind of like a Childline for all ages. People call in with their problems and volunteers answer the phones and give advice and all that jazz,"_ Clove explained. _"You can even walk up to the place and knock, the volunteers can talk to your personally as well." _So it was a charity. For some reason, Cato wasn't surprised. _"So you're going to talk to Mellark then?"_

"What?"

_"Well, you're asking about Smartians and Mellark works there so I assumed that you were going to talk to him,"_ Clove said. _"You are, right? I mean, you're not asking because you want to go and complain about me depressing you or something?"_

Cato laughed. "No, you're safe," he said. "Yes, I'm going to talk to him."

_"Well, good luck," _said Clove.

"Thank you," he replied before hanging up.

Cato stared at the building across the road, building up the courage to go across and knock. Why was he reluctant to go? He'd done this sort of thing thousands of times before, with much more scary characters, how come he couldn't just walk up and knock. Surely Peeta would understand that he had to be questioned about the murder and the body found in the Casino. He certainly didn't look like the sort to kick up a fuss about it. Then again, don't judge a book . . .

Urgh, why was he being so weird about this? Cato forced himself across the road.

_'Hello sir, I'm Detective Cato Hadley. I'm here to ask you a couple of questions about the body found in your wife's casino two days ago.'_

He forced himself to knock three times and almost instantly footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.

_'Hello sir, I'm Detective Cato Hadley. I'm here to ask you a couple of questions about the body found in your wife's casino two days ago.'_

His feet suddenly turned and he started walking away to catch his breath. Why was he getting so worked up about doing this? God, it was just one man. _Pull yourself together Cato!_ Maybe he should just wait a little while longer-

"Hello, sir, can I help you?"

Cato froze and turned around slowly, unsure about why he felt like a kid caught with his hand stuck in the cookie jar. Peeta Mellark was standing in the doorway, looking radiant and smiling one of those calming smiles that made all your worries disappear. No wonder he worked at this place.

_'Hello sir, I'm Detective Cato Hadley. I'm here to ask you a couple of questions about the body found in your wife's casino two days ago.'_

_Say the mantra._

_Go on, you've been thinking about it ever since you stopped talking to Clove._

_Say it!_

"Is this Smartians?" Inside, he groaned. Why did he mess up the mantra?

Peeta nodded. "Yes, it is," he said. "Can we help you with anything?"

_Another opportunity. Say the mantra now!_

"I . . . uh . . ."

_Say the mantra goddamnit!_

"Would you like to come in?" asked Peeta.

"Okay." Well, at least he was getting inside.

When he thought that Smartians was small, Cato didn't think it was _this_ small. It was literally just a small office at the top of a staircase and a room at the back for the volunteers to talk to the people who come to their door privately. A blonde girl sat at one of the two desks, seeming completely emmersed in whatever she was doing on her computer.

Peeta went to talk to her for a moment and Cato took that opportunity to look at the only other desk, which had to be his. There was no computer on it (he wasn't surprised, this place was so small it probably didn't have the setup for two). A book sat ontop of a notepad and when he looked closer he saw that it was _Great Expectations_. Good taste, that's a classic.

There was also two photo frames. One had a picture of Jennifer and Josh in it. Both looked about ten and had the residue of an ice lolly covering their mouths. They didn't seem to care, grinning like maniacs with their arms around each other's necks. The other contained a photo of Katniss. She was leaning against the railing of Blackpool pier on a windy day. Her smile was easy, casual, relaxed. She looked completely different to the woman Cato had spoken to today.

Peeta returned from talking to the blonde woman and smiled, leading him into the private room at the back. Okay, this was were Cato could fix everything up again. He could tell Peeta that he was a detective and needed to ask him a couple of questions concerning the body found in Katniss' casino.

But when they sat down, facing each other, Cato got sidetracked.

Peeta's eyes were an incredible blue and when he fixed them on Cato, he couldn't find the words to explain who he was or what he was here for. He just wanted to get lost in them, to find out what shade they actually were. He had a burning desire to find out everything about this man, away from the police force.

"So, what's the problem?" Peeta asked.

"I have no idea," Cato answered. Honestly, he didn't. He felt tempted to ask, _'You're making me act weird and I don't know why,'_ but managed to hold back from it.

"Something must have brought you here," Peeta reasoned. "Are you depressed?"

Cato resisted the urge to scoff. "No," he said.

"Any domestic issues?"

"Nope."

Peeta's smile didn't waver, even though Cato was sure that he was being difficult. "Are you sure you don't know why you came here?" he asked.

_Well, yeah. I wanted to come and interview you about the Winters murder but I can't seem to get my act together. And it's your fault with your beautiful smile and perfect face and bright blue eyes and-_

"I came to ask you out for a drink." Oh for God's sake Hadley, where the hell did _that_ come from? Now he's going to think you're a crazy physcho with a crush on him. Clove is going to have you sectioned on this!

Peeta chuckled good naturedly and showed Cato the weddding ring on his finger. "Sorry, spoken for," he said.

"Damn," Cato replied.

"If you ever do remember what you came here for, our door is always open," Peeta explained. He handed him the Smartians card. "Ask for Peeta. I'm always around."

"Thanks," Cato said, examining the card carefully. "Will do."

When they stood up, Peeta shook his hand. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name," he said.

"It's Cato," he answered. "Cato Hadley." The Detective part wasn't all that relevant anyway . . .

"Pleasure to meet you Mr Hadley," said Peeta.

"You can just call me Cato," Cato replied.

Peeta smiled. "Nice to meet you Cato. I hope to see you back soon."

_Trust me, I will be back._

~xXx~

Katniss was half way up the stairs when Jennifer stopped her. "Mum, can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Of course you can," Katniss replied. She backtracked down a couple of steps. "Is everything all right? Do you need to talk about what happened at the casino again?"

Jennifer shook her head. "No, it's not that," she said. "It's just . . . you know the guy I had a date with the other day?"

Katniss nodded. "Yes."

"Well, I had actually been seeing him for a couple of months," Jennifer explained. "And we're very serious about each other. But he wants to meet you and dad before we commit to anything. He wants you two to approve of him."

The idea of her daughter getting serious with a guy was unsettling, especially since she was only seventeen, but since the guy was wise enough to want to meet herself and Peeta first, Katniss guessed she could cut him some slack. And Jennifer had seemed to be very happy over the past couple of months.

"We'd love to meet him," said Katniss.

Jennifer's face lit up. "Really? Oh mum, that's great!" She lurched forward and hugged her, her arms squeezing tight. Katniss laughed and patted her head. Jennifer pulled away and grinned. "I have to go and tell him!" she weaved past Katniss on the stairs and ran to her room.

Katniss shook her head and continued up the stairs. She couldn't believe Jennifer was now at the age for dating and bringing her boyfriend round to meet the parents. Time truly was flying by.

When she entered the bedroom, Peeta was already ready for bed, sitting up and reading that book he bought the previous week, what was it . . . Something by that Dickens fella . . . _A Christmas Carol? _Eh, it hardly mattered.

"Jen wants us to meet her boyfriend," Katniss said as she pulled her shirt off and hung it up in the closet.

"She does?" asked Peeta. "So soon?"

"Apparently she's been dating him longer than she let on," Katniss explained. She unbuckled her jeans and pushed them off. She was about to hang them up when she realized that they smelt like Gale's flat. "And he asked her if he could meet us. Kind of weird, isn't it?" She went into the en suite and pushed the jeans to the bottom of the washbin.

"I guess," Peeta said. "What did you say to her?"

"What else could I say?" Katniss replied as she came back into the bedroom. "I wasn't going to say no to her. Plus, it'd be nice to see who's put the smile on her face, don't you think?"

"Of course."

Katniss got into bed in her bra and pants, sick to death of the current hot climate. She let her head fall on Peeta's shoulder and tried to decipher what he was reading. "What's with all the big words?" she muttered irritably.

"They're not that big," said Peeta.

"Oh wow, make me feel good," Katniss replied. She pulled the bookmark out of his hand slipped it in, closing the book and setting it onto the bedside table. She climbed into his lap and grinned. "You owe me from last night Mister."

Peeta laughed. "So we're keeping score then?" he replied.

"Oh come on, please," Katniss pleaded. Her husband had this baffling skill that made him able to make her wet no matter what he was doing. (A skill she wished he would teach her). It wasn't like the way their relationship was at the start. There was no more of the inability to keep their hands off each other or the constant desire to make out until they couldn't breathe. That's sort of what happens once you have kids.

"I don't know," Peeta said with a grin. "I might just be too tired again tonight."

"You're not an old timer yet Mellark," Katniss replied, making him laugh. "How about we do this and I'll make some of my famous french toast tomorrow morning?"

Peeta pretended to think about it, pulling thoughtful faces that made Katniss snicker. "You drive a hard bargin, Everdeen," he said. "But . . . alright."

Katniss exhaled, relieved. "Thank God!" she exclaimed before claiming his lips in a bruising kiss.

The annoying thing about when she and her husband had sex, Katniss always remembered the people she had fucked before. Not that any of them held a candle to Peeta anyway but it was like everytime they made the headboard rattle, a trigger in Katniss' subconscious decided that she needed to go on a guilt trip.

_Remember Gale, and Thom, and Cray, and Thread. And that one time you let that girl what's-her-face eat you out for twenty quid. _

It made Katniss mad. And the madder she got, she rougher she got. It wasn't that she blamed herself for it. It wasn't her fault. In fact, she was doing it for Peeta's own good, because some of the crazy stuff she made the whores do for her would make his fragile heart shatter. But she still felt guilty. Because he was so loyal and she was so dirty.

Didn't mean she was ever going to stop.

She couldn't stop now.

Never.

**A/N: R&R with your thoughts? :)**


	3. Cupid

**A/N: Wow, I didn't expect to get this chapter finished so soon! Phew! Sadly tomorrow is Monday and it's back to the usual routine so I probably won't be updating as regularly :/**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or Blackpool. **

**Chapter Three**

Jennifer was seventeen. She had her whole life ahead of her. She could do anything. Go anywhere. Be anything. She was so young, her life was what she made it and yet . . . .

She was tying herself down to a man in his thirties?

Peeta had done the whole fake smile thing for the cameras at the opening of Katniss' casino but _this_ sort of smiling was on a whole other level. Jennifer looked so happy he couldn't find the strength in him to scowl or frown or look disapproving at all. But _come on_, the guy was in his thirties!

Katniss seemed to be struggling with the knowledge of the age gap as well, as she was clenching his hand very tight in her own. The guy sitting beside their daughter-his name was Gloss-didn't seem to realize the extent of their discontent. He was the older man, couldn't _he_ see that this was wrong?

"It's great to finally meet you both," said Gloss. Katniss clenched her jaw and Peeta tried not to wince when her nails dug into his hand.

"I wanted to put it off," Jennifer explained, glancing at Gloss with a small smile. "For obvious reasons. But he was persistant."

"I said to her that I'd rather get your disapproval now rather than later," Gloss clarified. Jennifer giggled. Peeta could feel the anger radiating off his wife and he knew she was seconds away from pouncing on the guy and attacking like the protective momma bear she was.

Jennifer could see it too. She hastily stood up. "Well, we're just passing through," she quickly said, grabbing Gloss' hand and pulling him up too. "We're just going to out to the pier for a bit."

"Okay, have fun," Peeta said. Katniss glared at him. What did she want him to do? Tell them to have a horrible time?

"It really was a pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs Mellark," Gloss said, ignoring Jennifer's attempts to drag him out of the room. Judging by Katniss' state, he should have just let her.

"I'm actually Mrs Everdeen," Katniss said acidly. "_Katniss_ Everdeen."

Gloss' face suddenly fell. Peeta saw it, Jennifer saw it, Katniss smirked as if she knew why. It was as if that her name had put a spell on him and he left without another word, letting Jennifer pull him out.

Peeta turned to Katniss in confusion. She was grinding her teeth together, running her fingers through her hair angrily. "What was that?" he asked her.

"That's Gloss Lawrence! That punk was in the same year as me in high school!" Katniss exclaimed.

"Wait, _what_? Are you being serious right now?!" Peeta exclaimed. "He's_ that _old?!"

Katniss' mouth dropped open in horror. "What do you mean_ that_ old?!" she demanded. "I'm not that old!"

Peeta, who hadn't realized what he had said until he had said it, tried to backtrack. "Of course you're not that old sweetheart," he quickly said. "You're a real spring chicken."

Katniss scowled but couldn't hold it and grinned. "You're lucky you're hot or I'd have divorced you long ago," she joked.

"And I thought it was my amazing cake baking skills that kept you with me," Peeta teased.

His wife thought about it. "That too," she concluded. She laughed and slapped his arm. "I've got to go."

Peeta raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You're leaving again?" he asked. She had literally just gotten back an half an hour ago to meet Jennifer's boyfriend and now she was leaving again? Where could she possibly have to be back to so soon? Urgh, why was he even asking? She was going back to the casino.

Katniss looked as surprised as he felt. "Well, yeah," she said. "Josh is at the casino and he doesn't have the keys . . . Someone has to there to lock up later . . ."

"You're worried that that detective will come while you're not there," Peeta rephrased.

"Well what if he does?" said Katniss.

"You know that he won't find anything more than he would when you're not there than he would when you are?" Peeta pointed out. Katniss rolled her eyes. "I'm serious! You've barely been home since the body was discovered."

Katniss laughed, making his worries seem like nothing, and pushed up onto her tiptoes so they were eye level. "Will you relax?" she said. "It's okay, you're getting worked up over nothing. I promise once this thing gets solved, everything will go back to normal."

"What happens if it doesn't get solved?" Peeta asked. Even though he strongly believed that the police had it under control, there was still that underlying possibility that the case wouldn't get solved. It could happen. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of cold cases that haven't been solved. What would Katniss do then? Spend the rest of her days in the casino?

Katniss fell flat onto her feet again. "It'll get solved," she said. She weaved around him and left. Peeta waited for the front door to slam, which it usually did when Katniss was upset, but it didn't. He went to the living room doorway and peered out. She was standing by the front door, a letter clutched in her hands. He had left it on the phone stand for her to pick up when she got home but she must have missed it when she came in.

Peeta couldn't see what the letter was, all the could make out were two words.

**Final Notice.**

~xXx~

A few hours later, Katniss pushed her way into the library, the heels of her shoes breaking the silence as they chinked across the hardwood floors. After spending a couple of hours in the casino recalling every piece of information she could on Gloss Lawrence, she remembered that he used to spend a lot of time in the library and, when she casually slipped it into a conversation with Jen on the phone, she said that he still visisted there on Thursday afternoons.

Well, it was Thursday afternoon. And Katniss was going to pay him a visit.

The nerd was hunched over a book when she found him but, when she stopped by his table and waited for him to notice she was there, he stopped reading and looked up at her in confusion. "Can I help you Katniss?" he asked.

"What do you want with my daughter?" Katniss hissed. "Is this your way of teaching me a lesson?"

Gloss scoffed. "I wish," he said. "It turns out your daughter is a much better person than you are. I'm actually surprised you raised her."

"What do you mean by that?" she demanded.

"Exactly this. You barge in here, all guns blazing, and start demanding things!" Gloss exclaimed. "You were a bully in high school and it looks like you're still one now. Once a bully, always a bully, I guess."

"Shut it Lawrence, or you'll be taking a long walk off the short pier," Katniss snapped. "Leave my daughter alone!"

Gloss rolled his eyes and stood up, moving to a shelf and slipping his book back into a space between two others. "I love your daughter," he said. "And your daughter loves me."

"She's _seventeen_!"

"Weren't you seventeen when you got pregnant with her?" Gloss asked snidely.

Truth was, she had been sixteen, but Katniss wasn't about to tell him that. "That's besides the point. Peeta and I weren't _in love_ at that age, we just did stupid things! I didn't go round throwing petals and singing, 'Oh I'm pregnant and we're in love'! For fuck's sake Gloss she's just a kid, she doesn't even know what love is!"

Someone shushed them and Katniss scowled. She flipped the person off before turning back to Gloss. He didn't seem phased with her harsh words. In fact, he seemed amused. It certainly was a change from the snivelling piece of dirt that she used to punch the crap out of for lunch money. "Are you trying to say that Jennifer doesn't have to be in love before she starts doing these 'stupid things'?" he asked.

Katniss was horrified. "No!" she snapped. "My husband and I were idiotic hormone filled pratts when we were Jen's age! But at least we were the same _age_! I trust my daughter to know the right thing to do!"

Gloss nodded. "Oh, I know. She told me that you said to her that she has to go to you if she ever wants to get intimate with a boy and you'll go with her to get the pill," he said. "She was actually going to ask you on Saturday night at the casino opening but _I _said no because_ I _wanted to meet her parents and get their approval first!"

"Well guess what? You don't have it!" hissed Katniss. "And I'm not just saying that because you were a pathetic piece of shit in school. I'm saying it because I want my daughter to have a happy, furfilled life!"

Gloss rolled his eyes as if he had heard it all before. Katniss was very close to seeing if punching his neck still made him make that debilitated whale noise. "If I had have known that you were Jennifer's mother then I would have just asked to meet her dad. At least I know Peeta would consider his daughter's feelings before running around and threatening people."

"Sometimes Peeta is a bit too soft," said Katniss. "But I'm not and trust me Lawrence, if I see you anywhere near my daughter again I _will _get Johanna and we _will_ sort you out. Just like in high school. Might actually be a bit nostalgic, mightn't it?"

Annoyingly, Gloss didn't look afraid. "I don't think you understand," he said. "I _love_ Jennifer. And she loves me. I don't care how many people you gather to 'sort me out'. I will be staying with her until the day she tells me that she doesn't want me or that she has met someone else."

Katniss scowled. She hated brave Gloss. She wished he was still the coward from school that she used to push around to commit to her every whim. "If you know what's good for you," she threatened in a low voice, "you'll stay away."

She left without another word.

~xXx~

"I don't think I'll ever understand why they put the chips in a newspaper." Clove nicked a chip from Cato's newspaper. "It's all greasy. Look! It's all over your hands!"

"Do you have _any_ British in you?" Cato asked back. "You're going to be asking why people have mushy peas with fish and chips next."

Clove looked thoughtful. "About that-"

"Don't even start," Cato warned.

Clove snickered and rolled her eyes, zipping her mouth shut and pretending to throw away the key. She nicked another chip and ate it, smirking as she chewed and swallowed. "So," she said as they continued down the pier. "How did it go with Mellark?"

_Oh, you know, the usual. I went speechless and fucked the whole thing up._ "Alright," he lied.

Clove pulled her small black notepad out of her backpocket and tugged the pen that held her hair together out. "Anything worth noting?" she asked.

Cato wondered if he should tell her that he honestly didn't know. He wanted to say that Peeta was harmless but what evidence did he have? He couldn't tell Clove that he believed that he had nothing to do with the murder because he had pretty blue eyes because that obviously wouldn't go down well.

"Not really," he finally said. "I didn't even talk to him for that long but I could tell that he's the sort of person that if he saw a spider, he'd trap it with a glass and let it out the window rather than kill it."

Clove pulled a face. "So he's a softie then?" she scoffed.

"Well-"

"Urgh, I hate softies," Clove muttered. "Just squash the damn thing under your shoe."

Cato stopped himself from arguing with her. If he did then he may make her suspicious. Clove didn't need to know the effect that Peeta had had on him. It didn't seem like she'd understand anyway. She wasn't really the affectionate sort of person, even with those close to her. It was just the sort of person she was. She'd probably smack him upside the head and tell him to get his shit together.

Clove put her notebook away. They stopped and looked out at the sea. Cato liked being so close to the coast. It came with a feeling of freedom. Like if you wanted to you could get a boat and go where-ever you wanted. It was certainly a lot more spacious than Scotland. The constant scent of salt in the air was refreshing and the swishing of the waves brushing against the shore was on some level comforting.

"Honestly, I didn't really think he'd be involved," said Clove. "He has a clean record, managing to stay away from Katniss' slightly dirty life style, if he even knows her dirty life style exists."

Something told Cato that he didn't.

"I swear though, I was trying to talk to Katniss earlier and I was about ready to pin her against a wall and scream at her to shut up and co-operate! I mean, _god_, is it really that much to ask for a couple of answers? I think she thinks that we're automatically suspecting her because it's her casino," Clove said.

"I thought we _were_ suspecting her," Cato replied. "But not because of the casino thing. Because of her attitude."

"Well yeah," Clove answered. "But you'd think she'd be more keen to answer the questions to prove that she wasn't guilty."

Cato nodded along as she continued to rant. It seemed that Katniss didn't have very good people skills, since she had now gotten on the wrong sides of both himself and Clove now. Then again, maybe she perferred the company of the people who hadn't closed her casino and were trying to find evidence that she had committed a murder.

Clove was still ranting when Cato glanced behind him and saw a familiar blond head. His eyes followed Peeta curiously until he disappeared into the organic food store. "I've got to go Clove," he said, interuppting her and handing her the newspaper of chips.

"Why? What for?" Clove demanded.

"Got business to attend to," Cato answered, turning around and crossing the road.

"It better be important!" shouted Clove.

"Trust me, it is!"

Cato couldn't understand the thing that was constantly pulling him towards the charity boy. Honestly, he didn't know what it was. He knew he shouldn't be so fascinated . . . But his mind didn't seem satisfied with the 'no' he had gotten the other day when he had asked Peeta out. This didn't make sense, since he wasn't supposed to have asked him out anyway. But . . . he just couldn't stay away.

He ducked into the organic food store and grabbed a trolley. To make it look like he actually shopped there, he grabbed random vegetables and food items and threw them in while he thought up a gameplan. It didn't take him long to find Peeta again. Cato had only reached the end of the first aisle he walked through when he saw tufts of blond hair coming out from top of the next aisle to his right. Cato couldn't help smiling. The poor guy didn't even reach the height of the top of the shelves.

Okay, so how was he going to play this? Was he going to just go right up to him and start talking or pretend to 'bump' into him? Or was he just going to linger around and watch him from the next aisle the entire time? A bit stalkerish but very doable.

"Hey, it's Cato, isn't it?"

Surprised to be actknowledged in a such an alien environment, Cato turned around and was shocked to find the exact person he'd been stressing over standing in front of him. Peeta smiling that beautiful smile of his, holding a basket of food in the crook of his elbow.

"Um, yeah, that's me," he said. "And you're Peeta, right?"

"Yes," Peeta replied. Like Cato didn't already know his name anyway. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Cato answered. He was about to ask the same thing back when he remembered that he was supposed to have a problem that he was struggling to talk about. His pulse had quickened considerably in the past minute and he wasn't really sure why.

"Have you figured out why you came to see us yet?" asked Peeta, his tone laced with concern.

"Nope, still sticking with the pathetic yet hopeful attempt at asking an attractive man out," Cato replied, unable to resist flirting a little bit.

Peeta brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes, his gaze sliding to the floor. Was Cato seeing things or were his cheeks turning pink? "Well, I'm sure if I wasn't married then I'd definitely have said yes."

Cato considered this. Peeta was probably telling the truth. But would he have just said yes for Cato's benefit or to save his feelings? Or was he being genuine? But for some reason, he still wasn't happy with that answer. His mind went to Katniss, who cheated and lied to this man on a daily basis just so she could have a regular fuck.

"Look Peeta," Cato said. "You look like the type of guy who has done right all his life. I know because I'm one of them. Putting other people before ourselves because we want them to be happy. I say it's about time those guys were put first before anyone else. Hypathiecally, if two of those good people met and one asked the other out but it couldn't happen because the other was married . . . I think they should go anyway because they deserve to be a bit wild for once."

Whoa, where did that come from? Cato hadn't expected all that to just tumble out. _Now_ Peeta was going to think he was a physchopath who had weird outbursts in veggie aisles and probably wanted to date rape him and make a wig out of his pretty blond hair.

"If these people did decide to be a bit wild," Peeta said, surprising him by not running for the hills, "where would they go?"

**A/N: Soooo, tell me what you think? I love hearing your thoughts, you guys are so kind and wonderful! ^_^**


	4. Should I Stay?

**A/N: Hey guys, here's chapter four!**

**To the guest reviewer: I'm sorry the children's names bothered you so much that you decided that you couldn't continue with the story (which probably means you aren't reading this right now) but I didn't know that the fact that Jennifer and Josh are the names of the actors from the movie would bother someone so much.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games.**

**Chapter Four**

Katniss sat with her arms folded grumpily, her face set into a scowl. Jennifer was screaming her head off, shouting about injustice and unfairity. If only she understood that she had done what she did for her own good, that she had her best interests in mind. But _nooo,_ all Jennifer saw was that her mother threatened her boyfriend. Katniss wouldn't even call what she said a threat. If Gloss thought _that_ was a threat, then not much had changed from school. He was still a coward.

Why did the dork even tell Jennifer anyway? Did he always cry to his girlfriends about his problems?

Peeta looked horrified at the news. Every time Jennifer paused for breath, he tried to say something to calm her down but she'd start again before he had a chance. Katniss knew for sure that she was in for a lecture once Jen was calm and maybe gone to her room. Katniss was prepared for it anyhow, it wasn't the first time her husband had lectured her about her beahaviour. She'd just nod along and pretend to feel guilty. Peeta bought it most of the time; the only time he doesn't being when she requests make-up sex afterwards.

"I can't believe you threatened him!" Jennifer yelled.

"Sweetheart, he's the same age as your father and I," Katniss reasoned.

"That's _my_ business, not yours!" snapped Jennifer. "Gloss and I love each other, whether you approve or not! He said that you couldn't scare him away. In fact, your disapproval makes him more earger to be with me!"

That was when Katniss saw it. On the left hand of her daughter, on the index finger was . . . . oh my god. "Jennifer, where did you get the ring?" she asked slowly.

Jennifer smiled smugly. "Gloss gave it to me," she sneered. "We're getting married."

Katniss' stomach bottomed out and her jaw unhinged. Peeta had paled and looked like he was about to pass out. "You can't get married! You're seventeen!"

"You got pregnant with me at sixteen!" Jennifer roared.

Damn, why was everyone so keen to bring up the fact that she was sixteen and pregnant? "That wasn't intentional!" Katniss replied.

Jennifer raised her eyebrows. "So I was a mistake?" she asked.

"Of course you weren't," Peeta quickly said. Katniss was seething, blinded by rage. She was going to kill that punk the next time she saw him. She grabbed Jennifer's hand and examined the ring. It didn't even look much. A cheap piece of pawned off junk, no doubt. "Are you sure you have thought this through, sweetie?"

"Yes dad, I have," Jennifer insisted, using a gentler tone. Katniss resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She always was a daddy's girl. "And I love Gloss. He loves me too. Isn't that all you need to get married?"

"An older age wouldn't go amiss," Peeta said under his breath.

"They can't Peeta, can't you see?" Katniss said, shooting Jennifer a withering look. "If they wait any longer, Gloss will be on a pension and people might think she's after him for his money."

Jennifer scowled, her eyes glittering with tears. "Screw you mum! You don't understand!" She stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Her footsteps thudded up the stairs and her bedroom door banged shut.

Katniss laid back of the couch. "Oh lord, this is bad," she said.

"I can't believe you threatened him," said Peeta.

"That's what you're worried about?!" Katniss exclaimed. "What about the marriage thing?!"

"The marriage thing mightn't have happened if you hadn't tried to scare Gloss off," Peeta pointed out. "I think his purposing to Jen was his way of showing her that he's not afraid of you or your threats."

"So you're saying it's my fault then?" Katniss demanded.

"Well, not exactly-"

"That _is_ what you're saying! I can't fucking believe this!" Katniss stood up and kicked the coffee table angrily. "I'm going to the casino, don't bother waiting up." She pulled on her shoes and tore out of the room, making a big deal out of making the front door slamming behind her so the house shook.

Leaving Peeta alone in the sitting room, recalling about how three door slams within two minutes had to be a new record . . .

~xXx~

The sky was like a piece of paper that had ink spilled all over it. Not a star was in sight, most blocked out by the artifical glow of the street lamps. Cato stood outside the drag club, stamping his feet every so often to keep the circulation going and to keep himself warm. A part of him worried that he was going to get stood up, but it was smothered by the part that genuinely believed that Peeta wouldn't do that sort of thing.

It had taken him forever to choose the right suit for the date with Peeta. He didn't want to scare him off by taking it too seriously and dressing up _too_ fancy but he also didn't want him to think that he didn't take by not dressing to a certain standard. He ended up looking the way he did everyday. White shirt; black slacks; navy trench coat; and black shoes.

He noticed Peeta immediately. Even though there were plenty of blonds milling about, Cato was able to instantly pick out Peeta as he made his way up the street to where they arranged to meet. Thank god he hadn't went with too fancy. His date was looking beautiful as ever in a white t-shirt with red and black checked shirt thrown over it but not buttoned up; faded skinny jeans; and a pair of dark red sneakers. God, was he gorgeous. It was almost a crime.

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his arms were folded against the cold. His blue eyes watched the ground carefully as he walked, only drifting up to meet Cato's when they were a few metres apart. He smiled weakly. "Hey," he said.

"Hi," Cato replied, nervously. "How are you?"

"Good," Peeta answered. "You?"

_All the better for seeing you. _Thankfully, he was able to swallow that one. "I'm good," he answered. Cato glanced at the building behind them. "So why did you suggest a drag club?"

"I wanted to make sure we went to a place where there was no way in hell my wife would be caught dead in," Peeta explained as they entered.

"Ah, clever," Cato said.

They sat down at table quite a distance from the stage. The songs the drag queens sang were of a wide variety, but Cato could barely hear them. He was too fascinated by the precious creature in front of him. The deep red of the shirt he was wearing almost made his eyes glow and they seemed to have cast a spell over him.

"So," Peeta said, breaking the silence, "What do you do for a living?"

"Civil servant," Cato lied. "And yes, it's as bad as it sounds."

Peeta shrugged. "Doesn't sound that bad," he said.

"Must be doing something wrong if I ended up on the doorstep of Smartians." Okay, so he was good at lying, so shoot him. This is what comes hand in hand with being a detective. You have to know how to act and pretend like you don't know what's going on. And right now he had to pretend that he wasn't a detective trying to prove that Peeta's wife was a murderer.

"So you think your job was what brought you to us?" asked Peeta.

Cato shrugged. "Could be," he said. "But enough about me. What about you? What do you do for a living?"

"Just Smartians," Peeta shrugged. "My . . . my wife brings in most of the money." His cheeks turned pink in embarrassment and Cato resisted the urge to smile affectionately, because that have seemed weird. But come on, he was blushing, that was so sweet!

"So why did you choose to volunteer at Smartians?" he asked.

Peeta seemed caught a bit off guard. He blinked. "Pardon?" he asked.

"I asked why did you choose to volunteer at Smartians?" Cato repeated.

"Oh." Peeta brushed some hair back out of his eyes and chewed on his bottom lip anxiously. Cato focused solely on his eyes, having to remind himself that if he started staring at his lips he'd probably intimidate him. "Normally people don't ask me about that. They normally start asking about my wife."

"Well, it's not your wife I asked out now, is it?" Cato replied. "So come on, tell me."

"Well . . . I always sort of believed that if I could make a difference to even one person's life, it would make mine worth while, you know? Like it would give me a purpose, to not just be Peeta but to be Peeta, the guy who stopped that girl from cutting herself. Or Peeta, the guy who helped that marriage. I don't know, it's silly . . ."

His answer was so perfect, Cato could have kissed him right there.

"It's not silly," he said. "So, have you helped anyone?"

Peeta narrowed his eyes. "You're full of questions," he said. "People aren't normally that interested in me."

Cato looked at him seriously. "I want to know everything about you."

And he meant it.

He really did.

Later on they were walking along the broadwalk near the beach. Peeta seemed a bit more relaxed than he did at the start of the date but certainly still had an edge to him. "You know this can only be a one time thing, right?" he asked.

Cato considered this. He thought that if he got at least one date he'd be able to let go but now that he knew everything, all the little quirks like the fact that he always double knots his laces and never has sugar in his tea, he couldn't let go. He needed more. It was like he was dehydrated, and Peeta was the only water supply left on earth.

So he took a risk.

"Can I hold your hand?" he asked.

Peeta blinked. "What?" He looked at Cato's hand in surprise, like it was something he'd get arrested for even considering touching. Cato thought that he was going to turn him down, and his heart pounded in fear, but was shocked when the younger man slid his own hand into his and held him hold it.

"I'm serious though," Peeta insisted as they continued to walk. Cato was in heaven. Peeta's hand was soft but a little bit calloused, but wholly warm and welcoming. He could hold his hand for the rest of enternity and it wouldn't be enough. "It can only be a one time thing."

Cato thought of Katniss. And her hookers. And how Peeta was so oblvious to it and was fighting to be loyal when his wife definitely wasn't. It made Cato angry, especially since it was obvious that Peeta was going to feel guilty about having a measly date with him. But there was something, a gleam in those big blue eyes of his that hinted at attraction. Attraction and maybe a little bit of hurt. Katniss had been neglecting him for a very long time. Cato could feel it.

It's why he kissed him.

Okay, now he expected Peeta to rip his mouth away and jump the pier railing to get away from him. Very likely screaming 'rape' or 'a physchopath tried to shove his tongue down my throat!' But he had to give it a go. It was supposed to be chaste. A small peck, to test the waters and just have one taste of those delicious lips of his.

But he hadn't expected Peeta to respond.

Peeta was instantly up on his toes, his hands framing his face to hold Cato close to him. Their lips moved fiercely against each others and Cato's arms found their way around Peeta's waist to hold their bodies against each other. His heart was racing, his palms sweating nervously, his mind clouded with mixture of lust and desire and passion and something else he couldn't decipher.

Cato wasn't letting this boy go.

Not a chance.

**A/N: Why don't you guys check out my other story 'Peeta's World'? There's a Peetato element in it but it's mostly for funzies :)**

**Please let me know what you think! :)**


	5. Skweeze Me Pleeze Me

**A/N: Sorry, I know it's kind of short but it's exam session and I've barely had a chance to breathe.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or Blackpool.**

**Chapter Five**

Peeta felt horrible.

He had let Cato kiss him. He had betrayed Katniss and unintentionally lead Cato on. Even worse, he had agreed to meet Cato again. Why was he suddenly so keen to spend time with someone else? Was it because Cato listened? That he actually seemed genuinely interested in what he was saying? That he he didn't spend most of their conversation on the phone?

And all the drama that had been happening in the house, it was nice to get away even for a couple of hours.

As if she knew what he had done, Katniss became more affectionate. Of course, Peeta knew it was just because she felt bad for starting a screaming match over Jennifer's engagement, but it felt like she was trying to punish him without even realizing she was doing it. Their sex life became a lot more active than usual (most of the time incited by a guilty Katniss) and Peeta felt even more like a traitor.

How could he sit here and act like nothing was wrong when he had basically cheated on his wife?

He had arranged to meet Cato in the same place as before. The drag club that Katniss had expressed her animosity towards on numerous occasions. There was no way in hell Katniss would ever decide to go there, even if she was trying to be spontaneous. She had a strong belief that men should dress like men and women should dress like women. Really, Peeta thought this was ridiculous, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

Cato made Peeta feel . . . different. When he spoke to Katniss, she had a habit of making him feel like he was rambling about nonsensical things that she could care less about, but when he spoke to Cato, he had hung onto every word like he was the most fascinating thing in the room. Which couldn't be true, since a very attractive drag queen had been singing 'Should I Stay' by Gabrielle when he had been talking about his family and his job.

Maybe it was Cato's way of making him feel interesting that made Peeta allow him to kiss him. The reason why he kissed back . . .

Kissing Cato didn't feel like kissing Katniss. Kissing Katniss was a wave of lust and hormones entailed with a promise of sex later. But kissing Cato was intimate and affectionate and sweet and entailed fireworks and electricity. Peeta wasn't sure what he was supposed to make of that, all he knew was that he had to see Cato again. He wanted to say that it was only one last time but he couldn't.

This was why he felt like such an idiot when Cato didn't turn up.

Peeta had never been stood up before, since the only person he ever dated had been Katniss and she believed in punctuality and consistency, but it was the worst feeling ever. He felt like a moron. For believing that Cato had wanted anything more than a silly date. He was probably just after that first date thrill, the small butterflies you get when meeting someone for the first time. He was probably planning another first date with someone right this very moment.

_'Where r u?'_ He sent to Cato. Weird, if he was planning to stand him up, why did Cato give him his number?

It took Cato ten minutes to answer. This made Peeta feel even worse. He was obviously busy with more important things.

_'Sorry, fell asleep. Come to my apartment, here's the address . . .'_

He fell asleep. He_ fell asleep._ That was even worse than being busy! Peeta sighed heavily and stood up, leaving the club and follwing the directions Cato gave to his apartment.

~xXx~

Cato had been looking over the pictures of Marvel Winters body when he had fallen asleep. He was horrified when he had woken up and realized that he was nearly an hour late for Peeta's date. He pushed the rubbish off his desk and grabbed his phone, where there was one message. From Peeta. Oh no.

_'Where r u?'_

His fingers jabbed into the buttons as fast as he could manage, having to re-delete a couple of times, and gave Peeta his apartment address. While he waited on Peeta arriving, he shoved all the photos and reports into the drawer of his desk, shoving it shut so they were out of sight. He tapped in the paper edges and shoved his phone in his pockets. He must have gotten carried away investigating the CCTV pictures and the witness evidence before accidentally drifting off to sleep.

Cato jumped in surprise when the door knocked. He went to the door and opened it, finding a very unamused Peeta standing in the threshold. He looked unbelieveably gorgeous in a fitted navy button down and black skinny jeans. Those red sneakers were still on his feet, the vivid scarlet colour standing out against the more muted colours of the rest of his outfit. And here Cato was, wearing his goddamn reading glasses. Quickly whipping them off so Peeta didn't see them, Cato dropped them into his pocket, out of sight.

"Care to explain?" he asked as soon as Cato closed the door.

"I got caught up in work," Cato answered, leaning against the door.

"I sat there for an hour Cato, looking like an idiot," he said.

Deciding to take a different path from trying to convince him he was busy at work, Cato tried and make it sound better. "OK, I was thinking."

"About what?"

"Your best interests," Cato answered. "What you said last night . . . about being married. I was thinking whether it's best for you. Whether it's best for us to do this." It hurt him to say those words but hopefully Peeta will understand that he was thinking about his best interests.

"Oh I see," Peeta said. "Your one of those people."

"What people?" Cato frowned.

"Those people who look for that spark. The excitement you get on the first date with someone. The nervousness, the anxiety of worrying whether they'll like you or not," said Peeta. "After that date the spark dims and it's no longer exciting, you dump them or ignore them. What's in my best interests? I've heard stuff like that before."

"From who?"

"People trying to take me away from my wife. 'Peeta, we think this is for your best interests'," he replied.

"I'm just thinking of you!" Cato protested. His lying facade was starting to get a lot harder. Nothing used to be as easy to him as lying, and now Peeta Mellark had ruined that. And he wasn't sure whether he minded or not.

"No you weren't!" Peeta snapped. "I've had enough people in my life coming in and out, pretending they actually like me, that I'm worth being around when half the time all they want is to get to know Katniss! That's why I didn't tell you her name! Because that's all people focus on! Oh look it's Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen's husband! Maybe we can get to know him and find out more about her!"

"I don't care in the slightest about your wife," Cato replied, looking him straight in the eye.

Peeta didn't seem to believe a word of it. "Okay, whatever Cato. I'm just going to go. I shouldn't even be doing this anyway. I'm _betraying_ my _wife_ for you and you're obviously not taking it seriously enough."

Cato grabbed Peeta's wrist when he tried to leave and pulled him into an open mouthed kiss. He savagely attacked his crush's lips, feeding on his erractic breaths and sensually stroking his silken tongue. Peeta's breath caught in his throat but he didn't protest, his mind knowing that Cato could give him more than Katniss could. That Cato was better for him than Katniss.

Falling onto the bed together, Peeta straddled Cato's lap, letting him pull his shirt off before reclaiming his lips in a searing kiss. Cato explored the younger boy's body, his hands caressing his faint muscles and pulling him closer. Peeta gyrated against him, constantly moaning as he buried his hands under Cato's shirt and felt his abs with his fingers.

Cato's hands found the ripe swell of his lover's backside side, cupping the round cheeks and pushing his hips down so their crotches ground down together. Peeta gasped for air, pushing his fingers through Cato's hair desperately as his hands fondled his ass and his mouth started to proceed down his neck.

Unable to help himself, Cato's hand ventured underneath the boy's pants and underwear, feeling the smooth swell of flesh under his fingertips. He skimmed the cleft of his ass, making the young boy whimper in want when-

"Cato, are you listening to me?"

Cato blinked. Damn it, he'd gotten distracted. Peeta stood in front of him, arms folded impaitently. "Sorry?" he winced.

"I said this isn't going to work," Peeta repeated. "And you just proved me right." He stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door, the walls shuddering in protest to the rough action.

Cato yelled in frustration and kicked his bed.

This was _not_ over.

**A/N: Please R&R?**


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